9. Silvio Rodríguez, Playa Girón

What poem, or song, or history, can be written when there is no “right” side? This song is ostensibly about a Cuban fishing boat Playa Girón, which is also the name of a beach on the Bay of Pigs, site of the disastrous US-backed invasion that failed to overthrow Fidel Castro in 1961. The song does not answer its own questions—questions that echo ours today: What borders should we respect? If someone steals food and is killed, what should we do? Is the truth a fixed, implacable thing, and can we even know it? Ultimately, what should we say?

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"Playa Girón," written and performed by Silvio Rodríguez, 1975. Scroll to the end for full lyrics with translation.

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This post is part of Music 100, a love letter to songs. 100 words on 100 songs in 100 days, running from Groundhog Day through May 31, 2025. Inspired by my MFAH 100 project.

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Have a song you’d like me to consider? Send a message or leave a comment. I will give it a serious listen.

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Playa Girón
Compañeros poetas (Fellow poets)
Tomando en cuenta los últimos sucesos en la poesía (Considering the latest events in poetry)
Quisiera preguntar, me urge (I would like to ask, I am in a hurry)

¿Qué tipo de adjetivos se deben usar para hacer (What kind of adjectives should be used to make)
El poema de un barco sin que se haga sentimental? (The poem of a ship without it becoming sentimental?)
Fuera de la vanguardia o evidente panfleto, (Outside of the avant-garde or an obvious pamphlet)
¿Si debo usar palabras como (If I must use words like)
Flota Cubana de Pesca y Playa Girón? (Cuban Fishing Fleet and Playa Girón?)

Compañeros de música (Fellow musicians)
Tomando en cuenta esas politonales Y audaces canciones, quisiera preguntar (Considering those polytonal and bold songs, I would like to ask)
Me urge (I am in a hurry)

¿Qué tipo de armonía se debe usar para hacer (What kind of harmony should be used to make)
La canción de este barco con hombres de poca niñez (The song of this ship with men of little childhood)
Hombres y solamente hombres sobre cubierta (Men and only men on deck)
Hombres negros y rojos (Black and red men)
Y azules, los hombres que pueblan el Playa Girón? (And blue, the men who populate Playa Girón?)

Compañeros de historia (Fellow historians)
Tomando en cuenta lo implacable que debe ser la verdad (Considering how implacable the truth must be)
Quisiera preguntar, me urge tanto (I would like to ask, I am really in a hurry)
¿Qué debiera decir? ¿Qué fronteras debo respetar? (What should I say? What borders should I respect?)
Si alguien roba comida y después da la vida, ¿qué hacer? (If someone steals food and then gives his life, what should I do?)
¿Hasta dónde debemos practicar las verdades? (To what extent should we practice the truth?)
¿Hasta donde sabemos? (To what extent do we know?)

Que escriban, pues, la historia, su historia (Let them write history, their history)
Los hombres del Playa Girón (The men of Playa Girón)
Que escriban, pues, la historia, su historia (Let them write history, their history)
Los hombres del Playa Girón (The men of Playa Girón)